Why The Violent Fantasies Of Gun Advocates Are More Dangerous Than Video Games: pThere were a lot of things that were ridiculous and offensive about yesterday’s hearings on gun control, from the Independent Women’s Forum Gayle Trotter’s articulation of a fantasy world in which women defend themselves with guns more often than they’re killed by them, to the National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre’s representation of himself as [...]/p

Missouri Bill Would Require All First Graders To Take NRA-Sponsored Gun Class: pStudents in Missouri have no sexual education requirement, so there’s a good chance they don’t know how to properly protect themselves from STIs or unintended pregnancy. Soon, though, they may be able to protect themselves from guns. Missouri state Senate is considering a bill that would require all first graders in the state to take [...]/p

so far-so good. layla seems fine. i'm having a problem with her food tho. we have special canned form the vet for her. high caloric stuff. she loves it but so does bob and at 14 lbs of cat, he really doesn't need it. thing of it is, layla can't eat the dry food yet and she is trying her best to get at it.

sooooo, i guess bob will be porking up a bit because bob, being the scaredy cat that he is, goes bonkers if i try to put him in a closed room with the regular food and layla has a hissy because she can smell it behind the door!

Texas Legislature Wants To Reward Companies That Deny Employees Contraception: pA bill recently introduced in the Texas state house aims to reward employers who violate Obamacare, offering subsidies to any company that uses religious objection as an excuse for denying its employees copay-free contraception. House Bill 649, introduced by state Rep. Jonathan Stickland (R), was apparently inspired by the controversy over craft chain store Hobby [...]/p

House GOP To Supreme Court: Gay People Are Too Powerful To Get Equal Rights: pFor nearly two years, House Republicans paid conservative superlawyer Paul Clement $520 an hour to defend the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act in federal court — and then sent the bill to the American taxpayer. In total Clement has now cost the American people up to $3 million for his efforts on behalf of this [...]/p

How Republicans Plan To Rig The Next Presidential Election, In Six Pictures: pYesterday, Virginia Republicans took the first step to move a GOP plan to rig the Electoral College forward in that state. Similar plans are under consideration in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The Republican election rigging plan targets blue states that President Obama won in 2008 and 2012, and changes the way they allocate electoral votes [...]/p

Top Conservative Publication: God Wants You To Have An Assault Rifle: pLegislation aimed at reducing gun violence is “a limitation on a God-given right of man that has existed throughout the history of civil society,” according to an article published in the leading conservative opinion journal National Review. The author, David French, interprets the Christian Bible as granting everyone a right to self-defense. He suggests that [...]/p

One hundred and sixty years ago this week in 1847, the Indians of the Choctaw nation took up a collection. Moved by news of starvation in Ireland, a group of Choctaws gathered in Scullyville, Oklahoma to raise a relief fund. Despite their meager resources, they collected $170 and forwarded it to a U.S. famine relief organization. It was both the most unlikely an...d the most generous contribution to the effort to relieve Ireland’s suffering. Begun two years before in the fall of 1845, the potato blight and subsequent famine had reached its height in 1847. It was, of course, much more than a mere natural disaster. British colonial policies before and during the crisis exacerbated the effects of the potato blight, leading to mass death by starvation and disease. For example, in March of 1847, at the time of the Choctaw donation, 734,000 starving Irish people were forced to labor in public works projects in order to receive food. Little wonder that survivors referred to the year as “Black ’47.” First through letters and newspaper accounts, and later from the refugees themselves, the Irish in America learned of the unfolding horror. Countless individuals sent money and ship tickets to assist friends and family. Others formed relief committees to solicit donations from the general public. Contributions came from every manner of organization, from charitable societies and businesses to churches and synagogues. By the time the famine had ended in the early 1850s, millions in cash and goods had been sent to Ireland. What made the Choctaw donation so extraordinary was the tribe’s recent history. Only 16 years before, President Andrew Jackson (whose parents emigrated from Antrim) seized the fertile lands of the so-called five civilized tribes (Chickasaw, Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, and Choctaw) and forced them to undertake a harrowing 500-mile trek to Oklahoma known as the Trail of Tears. Of the 21,000 Choctaws who started the journey, more than half perished from exposure, malnutrition, and disease. This despite the fact that during the War of 1812 the Choctaws had been allies of then General Jackson in his campaign against the British in New Orleans. Perhaps their sympathy stemmed from their recognition of the similarities between the experiences of the Irish and Choctaw. Certainly contemporary Choctaw see it that way. They note that both groups were victims of conquest that led to loss of property, forced migration and exile, mass starvation, and cultural suppression (most notably language). Increased attention to the Great Famine in recent years has led to renewed recognition of the Choctaw donation. In 1990 a delegation of Choctaw officials was invited to participate in an annual walk in County Mayo commemorating a tragic starvation march that occurred during the Famine. In honor of the special guests, the organizers (Action From Ireland, or AFRI) named the march The Trail of Tears. Two years later, two dozen people from Ireland came to the U.S. and retraced the 500-mile Trail of Tears from Oklahoma to Mississippi. That same year the Choctaw tribe made Ireland’s President Mary Robinson an honorary chief. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of these events is that while they commemorate dark chapters of the past, they are focused on the present and future. In other words, they seek to dramatize the need to stop starvation and suffering worldwide. As the plaque on Dublin’s Mansion House which honors the Choctaw contribution reads: “Their humanity calls us to remember the millions of human beings throughout our world today who die of hunger and hunger-related illness in a world of plenty.

Lady: Do you drink?Man: YesLady: How much a day?Man: 3, 6 packsLady: How much per 6 packMan: about $10.00Lady: And how long have you been drinking?Man: 15 yearsLady: So 1, 6 pack cost $10.00 and you have 3 packs a day which puts your spending each month at $900. In one year, it would be $10,800 correct?Man: CorrectLady: If in 1 year you spend $10,800 not accounting for inflation, the past 15 years puts your spending at $162,000 correct?Man: CorrectLady: Do you know that if you hadn't drank, that money could have been put in a step-up interest savings account and after accounting for compound interest for the past 15 years, you could have now bought a Ferrari?Man: Do you drink?Lady: NoMan: So where's your fucking Ferrari?

Wall Street Journal: Women Shouldn’t Be In Combat Because Men Poop: pAn opinion piece published in one of America’s most prestigious newspapers made a curious assertion this morning: women shouldn’t serve in combat because “social norms” would make it “humiliating” for men. After Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta’s surprise announcement on Wednesday that women would be free to serve in most or all combat roles by [...]/p

me- hospice care is very different than hospital care. it's a blessing. i've seen it. there are dosages of pain meds that can be given to relieve suffering in hospice that aren't allowed to be given in a hospital. it's a quiet peaceful and far more dignified death. if you have ever seen end stage cancer pain when the cancer has invaded bones you know what i am talking about.

Everything You Need To Know About Obama’s Gun Violence Prevention Proposals: pIn a press conference on Wednesday, President Obama outlined a sweeping effort to prevent gun violence in the United States. Surrounded by children who had written him letters voicing their desire to see gun laws passed, Obama announced that he will sign 23 executive orders and bring a set of proposals to Congress. The President [...]/p

What Everyone Should Know About New York’s New Gun Law: pLate last night, the New York State Senate passed a piece of gun legislation called the New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act, or NYSAFE. It makes sweeping changes to how the state approaches firearms. The state Assembly will vote on the bill on Tuesday and it is expected to pass, enjoying broad Democratic [...]/p